A Common Life
by My Beautiful Ending
Summary: The sequel to Hope's What We Crave. A selection of oneshots and short stories involving Elijah, Leah, the kids, Fay, and the rest of the Mikaelson family. The family has to learn to get along... or do they?
1. Perfect Flaws

**HEY GUYS! This is the promised sequel! Exciting, right? I decided, instead of having half a dozen 3 part stories and one shots floating around fanfiction and you all maybe missing some and not knowing where stuff was, this is where I am putting all the short sequels for Hope's What We Crave! Within this will be multiple stories. So alert, favorite, because you never know when something else will show up in here! I hope y'all enjoy! :)**

**(I'll try to keep them in chronological order, but no promises. I'll always tell you when they are in the timeline, though.)**

* * *

(set about a year after Hope's What We Crave)

**Perfect Flaws**

"Hawk the Hewold angels siiiing, glowwy toooo the newbown kiiing! Peace on earf, and mewcy mild, God and sinners weconciled!" Grace bellows through the house as Leah and Malachi decorate the skinny Christmas tree in the corner.

"Ugh," Malachi mumbles, handing her more multicolored balls. "Mom…"

"I think I prefer belted Christmas carols to silence," Leah says, smiling down at her son. She takes the ornaments from him and place them around the lights and tinsel.

"But it's so _loud,_" Malachi complains.

"Joyful all ye nation wise, join the twiumph of the skyyyy," Grace hollers, coming into the living room. She has dressed up one of her dollies like an angel, cutting out pink construction paper wings for her. She is now flying her around the house.

"Can you use an inside voice, honey?" Leah says, trying to compromise. But Grace hasn't gained the concept of "loud" and "soft" in the year that she's decided to start talking –just "on" and "off."

Grace looks at her funny. "Mommy, I'm _singin'."_

"Oh. Silly me," Leah says, hiding an eye roll. "Malachi, you want to hand me the star?"

Malachi obliges as Grace resumes her song.

"Wif angelly toast pwoclaim, Cwist is bown in Befleheeeem!"

The doorbell peals cheerfully, finally fixed, and Malachi rushes to answer it, leaving Grace to warble the rest of her carol to Leah. "Hawk! The Hewold angels siiing, glowwy toooo the newbown kiiing!"

"Someone sounds like quite the opera star in the making," Elijah says, following Malachi into the living room.

"You're kidding, right?" Ky asks him. They share an amused grin.

"She was on key, for the most part," he points out.

"Well, someone's right on time," Leah says, pleased.

"Aren't I always?" Elijah asks.

She turns her face up to him for a kiss, and he obliges. She will never tire of his lips. "Yes," she admits with a smile.

"Where do you want me?" Elijah says, shucking off his jacket.

So many things pop into her mind, but she resists saying them, with a little bit of effort. The knowledge that Malachi is old enough to probably get a lot of innuendo helps, as well as the smirk hiding at the corner of Elijah's mouth. She's not going to take his bait.

"The kitchen," she says simply, smiling. "I was promised delicious goodness."

"And you know I keep my promises," Elijah says, rolling up his sleeves.

Yes, she knows full well. "Grace, do you want to help Elijah make cookies?"

Grace squeals. "Cookies, cookies, cookies!" With each syllable she bounces.

Leah smiles apologetically to Elijah. "She's been a ball of energy all day. You get to tire her out."

"I'm sure we can do that," Elijah says, gazing happily at her daughter. "Come on, Grace. What kind of cookies do you like best?"

"Chocolate," Grace says immediately. "And bwownies."

"Brownies aren't a cookie," he tells her.

"So?"

Leah chuckles as the two travel to the kitchen.

* * *

Three hours later, her kitchen is a mess of flour and sugar and chocolate, but she's got trays of chocolate chip cookies, Christmas fudge, and sugar cookies all over the kitchen, one man with some flour streaked across his cheek, and a very sticky five year old. Said five year old is currently slathering a glob of green icing over a tree-shaped sugar cookie.

"Someone had a good time," Leah says, reaching up to wipe the excess flour off of his cheek.

Elijah grins. "We did indeed. Are you satisfied with our end result?"

"Well, it certainly looks delicious," Leah says, eyeing the desserts. "And there's enough to keep us until far past New Year's, so… I'll say yes."

"You'd better try one, just to make sure," he says. "Close your eyes."

She gives him a funny look.

"I'm not going to smoosh anything in your face, if that's what you're thinking," he says, laughing.

"Okay…" she says, letting her eyes close and opening her mouth. "Mmmm." The sugar cookie tastes wonderful, so much better than store-bought. And the icing –ohhh, yummy. Is that homemade as well?

She swallows and opens her eyes to ask him, but stops. Elijah still holds out the cookie in front of her.

It's bigger than the others, with a lot of white icing and a shaky looking question mark drawn on it right above her bite. But above _that_, imbedded in the icing, is a diamond ring.

Her mouth is dry and she _really _wants some water to wash down the crumbs in her mouth. "Um."

"Grace helped me ice it," Elijah says quietly, watching her face.

"Um." She wishes she could form words intelligibly.

"I dwew the qwestion mawk," Grace informs her proudly from the kitchen table.

"I love it," Leah finally manages to get out, but she's looking at Elijah when she says it.

"Leah," Elijah says, reaching for her hand.

My word, why is she tearing up? He hasn't even… he's just holding her hand, it might not even be… "Is… is that…" she tries to say, looking up at Elijah, full of fear, full of hope.

"Leah Evangeline, I love you," he says. "I love you, and I love your children. This year that I've known you has been one of the best years of my life."

She laughs a little, because she knows how many years he has seen.

"It's true," he says with a smile of his own, and kneels down on her kitchen linoleum. Her hand goes to her mouth. "You have a rare inner beauty that captured my heart. You reach out to others without hesitation, and you want to heal the brokenness in everyone –even in me."

The tears are falling now, but she can't look away from his face –so full of the love he wants to pour into her. She is a broken vessel, unworthy.

"Neither of us is perfect," he whispers. "And I can't promise perfection; that would be foolish. But I can promise that I will love and protect you and your children until the end of time… if you will let me."

She is reminded of a time where he said much the same, asking for a chance to heal her and redeem her, if she'd let him. And it was scary and difficult, but she stepped out in faith, she decided to trust… and she's never had such joy before. She squeezes his hand, hard. "I love you," she whispers brokenly.

"Will you marry me, Leah?" Elijah whispers.

She nods as the tears stream freely down her face. "Yes, yes!" she says, and he stands and his lips come down on hers, and the taste of him is the sweetest thing she has ever experienced. He kisses away the salt on her skin and slips the diamond onto her finger, the place she'd never thought a ring would rest again. It's simple and beautiful, and she loves it.

Grace tugs on their legs with sticky hands. "Is 'Lijah goin' to be my daddy now?" she asks.

Before Leah can answer, Elijah kneels down again, taking hold of Grace's hands. "Do you want me to be?" he asks very seriously.

"Yes!" Grace says emphatically, throwing her arms around Elijah. He laughs and picks her up, spinning her around.

She wonders if hearts could burst with happiness. Leah turns to the kitchen doorway where Malachi lurks with the biggest grin on his face. She opens her arms, and he comes to hug her.

"You knew," she whispers into his hair.

"Yeah," Ky says. "Elijah asked me if I'd be okay with it." He smiles. "I am."

"He helped pick out the ring, too," Elijah says, as Grace giggles with delight. "You know, it's not so easy to pick out jewelry for the woman who makes it for a living."

"Oh?" she says, wrapping an arm around him.

He shakes his head, smiling.

"Surely a thousand years of experience…"

"I've never gone engagement ring shopping before," he says. "This was a completely new experience."

"I guess we'll just have to figure it out as we go along, then," she whispers.

"Yes," he murmurs, "We will." He kisses her again, and she knows that right now, with the four of them together in the kitchen, she is whole.

They are not perfect and she is a broken vessel but through the holes and cracks, love can flow out and make something beautiful.

They are not perfect, but your flaws are perfect for the heart that is meant to love you.


	2. Engagement Outtakes, Part 1

**ENGAGEMENT Outtakes: Part 1**

Elijah towels off his hair and glances at the clock. He's got plenty of time yet. Shrugging on a shirt, he buttons it and goes over his plan again. Hopefully, it will go off without a hitch.

Hopefully.

"Elijah! Elijah, I need your advice," Klaus yells, throwing open the door to his bedroom.

Elijah takes a deep breath and resists the urge to cast his gaze up to the ceiling in irritation. He still has plenty of time. "What is it, Niklaus?"

"Tell me what to do," Klaus says, sitting down on Elijah's bed.

"You'll have to be more specific." Elijah buttons his cuffs and walks to the bathroom. "Besides, whenever I try, you don't listen."

"Tell me how to make Caroline like me."

"I thought she did." Elijah raises an eyebrow at his brother in the mirror.

Klaus scowls. "She did, but she's gotten her nose out of joint. Again."

"And you need my advice? Niklaus, are you really telling me that a thousand years worth of experience can't help you court this woman?"

"Well…." Klaus scowls. "Obviously there must be different approaches, because whatever you're doing actually works."

Elijah smirks. He's right about that. "What has she been saying?"  
"Caroline?"

"Yes." Elijah picks up his toothbrush and applies the toothpaste.

"She says she wants me to get over myself. She wants to talk…." He trails off. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like, Niklaus?" Elijah asked through a mouth full of toothpaste.

"We're _vampires,_ we don't have tooth decay," his brother scoffs.

Elijah continues to brush. "But we do have bad breath. Usually smelling like blood."

"Why are… where are you going?" Klaus says, finally getting a good look at what Elijah is wearing. "That's your nice suit."

"Thank you for noticing." Elijah spits the suds into the sink and rinses his mouth. "If you must know, I'm going over to Leah's house."

"Oh."

"I'm going to ask her to marry me," Elijah adds, watching his brother's reacting.

It's a doozy. "What… _marry_ you?" Klaus scoffs, laughing from incredulity. "Marry you? Are you that infatuated with a –a four, five year old vampire –"

"Niklaus," Elijah snaps. "Pot. Kettle." He narrows his eyes.

Klaus loses steam. "Point taken," he mumbles, passing a hand over his eyes. "But Elijah, what about _us?"_

"Who is 'us'?" Elijah shrugs on his coat.

"Rebekah and Kol and I, your _family!_ What happened to 'always and forever'?" His brother stares at him. "I thought you were a man of your word –"

"And I am!" Elijah says. "Niklaus. What makes you think that my decision to marry Leah takes me away from you?" He sighs. "You're so caught up in thinking that everyone is going to leave you. Brother, I'm not. But I love Leah, and I want her in my life. I'm not leaving this family, I'm adding to it." He frowns. "And I thought you liked Leah."

"I –well…."

"You do, admit it," Elijah says, plucking up his car keys and checking that the box is in his suit coat pocket. "You like Leah _and_ Grace _and_ Malachi. Niklaus," he says, taking his brother by the shoulder, "for the first time in years, our family is going to _grow_."

Klaus looks him in the eye and sighs, any bitterness draining away. An amused, wicked look replaces it. "_If_ she says yes."  
"Thank you for reminding me," Elijah grumbles.

"Did you get her a nice ring?"

"Of course I did."

"How are you going to ask her?"

"I'll tell you later," Elijah says with a chuckle. "Call Caroline. Ask her to dinner. Let her talk, and answer her questions." He claps him on the shoulder. "It's like jumping off a diving board."

"What is?"

"Falling in love." He smiles. "Just take the plunge."

"Good luck!" Klaus calls after him as he walks out the door.

Elijah gets in his car and turns it on. "Hopefully I won't need it," he whispers.

* * *

**Isn't he a cutie? :) Announcement 1: There is a playlist for this story on 8tracks! The link, for your listening pleasure, in case anyone is interested. put in 8tracks dot com and then add /piratesmuggler /elijah-and-leah**

**Announcement 2: I've had requests in the past for more K/C stuff in this story. And I love Caroline to bits, she's great. Klaus... well, out of all the originals, he's tied with Finn for my 4th favorite. So, if any of you care to see more of this pairing in greater detail, I invite you to wax eloquent about your feelings for them, why they work together, how you see their relationship, etc, in a review. And we'll see if I get any inspiration or not. **

**And thank you so much for all the reviews/favorites already -I open my email every day and am BLOWN AWAY. Seriously, y'all rock. **


	3. Engagement Outtakes, part 2

**Engagement Outtakes: Part 2**

The first person Leah tells, of course, is Fay, who was firmly ensconced in finals week at her college. Her screech echoes down the phone line. "YES! Finally!"

"What do you mean finally?" Leah says.

"What, like Elijah hasn't been planning this for a while. Or at least thinking about it."

Leah smiles and says nothing, just looks at the lovely diamond on her finger. "So, are you going to be my maid of honor or what?"

"Me?" Fay says, shocked. "Doesn't the maid of honor have to, like, run the wedding and stuff?"

"Well, sometimes…"

"Leah, I love you to bits, but I am not maid of honor material," Fay says firmly. "Ask Caroline. She'll love it and thrive."  
Leah sighs, but can see that this is probably true. "What about a bridesmaid?" She offers.

"I'll be the wedding photographer and save you all a lot of money," Fay decides. "Say, do vampires show up in pictures? That'd be awkward to only have Ky and Grace in the shots."

"Shut up," Leah says good naturedly, and calls Caroline.

Her screech is almost as ear splitting, and she accepts the maid of honor position immediately. "Okay –venues, dress, cake, flowers, decorations –this is going to be so much fun!"

Leah laughs. I'm glad you think so."

"You are going to have the best wedding ever!" Caroline declares, and what Caroline declares is law, so Leah believes her and hands her the reins.


	4. Wedding Prep

**Wedding Prep**

"Thank you _so much,_ Rebekah," Leah breathes as the blond girl walks in the door. Caroline is going to be here any minute and Grace is almost bouncing off the walls –where has this energy come from?

"It's fine," Rebekah says, waving away her thanks. "I'd rather be here than deciding exactly what kind of napkins you want at the reception."

"Honestly, I'd kind of like to be here, too," Leah admits under her breath. But she has managed to wrangle an actual budget out of Elijah instead of the vague "get whatever you want" promise, and she's going to stick to it. Having oodles of money is no reason to be extravagant. So she and Caroline are off to the stores, and Malachi is off at a friend's house, and Elijah is helping Klaus with something (hopefully it's something innocuous and not nefarious) and Rebekah's got Grace.

"Grace, Bekah's here!" she says, trying to discover where her purse has got to.

"Aunt Beksa!" Grace shrieks, bouncing out of her room like a little gazelle on steroids.

Rebekah laughs and swings her up with no effort at all. "Looks like this little miss needs to run off some energy."

Grace leans forward and whispers in Rebekah's ear, "I had cookies."

Leah hears. "You mean the cookies I told you very specifically you could not have an hour ago?" Purse found, she now looks up from the hunt for her jacket.

Grace bites her lip and glances at Rebekah for back up. "Well, don't look at me," Rebekah says, "I'm just the sitter."

"We'll have a talk when you get back, Grace," Leah warns. "No more cookies, no dessert, just lunch. A _healthy _lunch."

"Mooomaaaa," Grace whines.

"No ma'am," Leah says firmly. "And you'll listen to Bekah while I'm gone. Oh, Bekah," she says, just remembering. She darts into her workroom and grabs something she's been meaning to give for a while. "This is for you." She holds out a tiered necklace of many gold strands with little interlocking geometric shapes.

Rebekah stands with her mouth open, staring at the necklace. "For me?" she asks in a small voice.

"Yeah, to say thanks for everything you've done to help out with the kids. And because we're going to be sisters in a couple months," Leah says, smiling shyly.

Rebekah sets Grace down on the floor gently before reaching out to touch the delicate strands with one finger. "I've never had a sister," she whispers.

Leah smiles and swallows against the burn of emotion. "Well, you do now," she declares, giving the girl a hug.

When Leah leaves the house with Caroline, the necklace is snug around Rebekah's neck as she holds Grace's hand to wave goodbye.


	5. The Hunter Encounter: Part 1

**The Hunter Encounter: Part 1**

(set a few months after HWWC but before the Engagement)

Since Mystic Falls has gained a reputation as a supernatural hotspot, the odd hunter that shows up every couple months is expected. Depending on whom they encounter, they either leave town with extremely confused memories or take a very fast trip to the woods –where, presumably, they are still.

If they truly are vampire hunters, they know what they're getting into, and they can either handle it or they can't. Sometimes they aren't even vampire-specific, so if they find a ghost or some other creature first, they usually pack up and leave. Elijah doesn't quibble with the status quo, as a whole.

He does, however, take exception to those who accost people he cares about.

He has made plans to meet Leah and Grace at the library and take them to lunch, but Rebekah called him to complain about recent Klaus drama (he has taken issue with another of her flames, _again)_, and it has made him a few minutes late.

He is a block away on foot when he spots them on the library's steps being waylaid by –yes, he's wearing plaid and hiking boots, sports vaguely concealed weapons, and his body language spells 'menacing' –it's a hunter.

Unfortunately, noon is downtown Mystic Fall's hot time of the day –nearly everyone is out walking around, so he can't arrive at their side in a blink, as he would like. He forces himself to keep walking at a human pace.

Leah glares at whatever the man has to say. Her grip on her purse and book bag is rigid, and she has shoved Grace behind her, but she is leaning away from him. She's intimidated. Elijah suspects she forgets, sometimes, that she's a vampire with heightened strength and speed. It's something that just doesn't occur to her –or at least, it doesn't give her confidence. She has grown stronger –if anyone tries anything with her children, she becomes a lioness –but she is slower summoning the same defenses for herself.

He would like to give her a world where she doesn't need them.

"Hello, darling," he says, climbing the steps effortlessly and giving her a wide smile. Leah locks eyes with him, anxious. "Sorry I'm late." He slips his hand in hers and gives the hunter a look.

They trade understanding –the hunter realizes that he is now dealing with _another_ vampire who knows exactly what he was trying to do, and is extremely unimpressed and quite irritated.

"Who's this?" Elijah asks, his voice deceptively light. A hidden razor edge lurks just below the surface. Unfortunately, as much as he wants to, he can't rip his heart out in broad daylight or compel him –he's undoubtedly on vervain.

"Just leaving," Leah forces out, squeezing his hand. He rubs his thumb over her fingers.

"Glad to hear it." The words carry an undercurrent of a growl.

The hunter opens his mouth, but Elijah doesn't care to hear anything he has to say. "You can go now," he says tersely, upping his expression to a glare.

The hunter's lip curls, apparently disliking being on the receiving end of intimidation. "Perhaps I'm not being clear," Elijah says, deadly quiet. Is he really stupid enough to pull something in the middle of the street? "This is a threat."

After a few seconds, the hunter, glowering, backs down the steps and blends into the crowd of pedestrians.

Leah releases the breath she's been holding and leans into Elijah. He wraps her up in his arms and kisses her hair. "Are you all right?"

She nods. "Just a little …on edge."

"And what about you, Miss Grace?" Elijah asks.

"Yep," Grace says with perfect candor.

"You weren't scared?" Leah asks, surprised.

"No," Grace says, like that's the silliest thing she's ever heard of.

"Well, that's good," Leah says under her breath.

"What did he say to you?" Elijah asks as he leads them down the steps and in the opposite direction.

"I noticed that he smelled like vervain, and I got nervous," Leah admits. "And he noticed. He said things about why I carted a human child around with me." She shivers. "He asked if I was going to eat her later."

Elijah very much regrets not making a scene.

"But you showed up right on time," she says, squeezing his hand. "My knight in shining armor."

"I aim to please, milady," he says, smiling.

"Elijah?" He turns, and she wraps her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she says, eyes glowing, before kissing him on the mouth.

Surprised and extraordinarily pleased, he kisses back with equal enthusiasm.

"Mooooooom," Grace says, getting tired of the kissing that has been happening quite regularly, a development he is very happy about.

He pulls back from Leah with a last peck on her lips and swings Grace up into his arms. "Oh, did you want one?" he laughs, planting a kiss on her cheek.

She shrieks with laughter even as she struggles to get down. " 'Lijaaaah!"

Leah smiles and hooks her arm through his elbow. "Let's go eat," she says.

"Lead the way."


	6. The Hunter Encounter: Part 2

**AN: UGH guys I'm so sorry, school started and we all went crazy. Many apologies. Y'all are the best.**

**The Hunter Encounter: Part 2  
**

Leah loads her shopping bags into the trunk of her car and hands the cart to Malachi to push over to the cart return. "Thanks Mom!" he hollers over the cart's rattling. Leah just smiles.

Malachi tries so hard to remember everything, and rarely do things slip his mind. But this was a rare time, and he had forgotten supplies for a project –due tomorrow, no less. So she figured she might as well pick up a few things too, hence why they're at the grocery store as dusk is falling

Grace yawns in her car seat. "Done!" Ky exclaims, running back to the car as the wind picks up. Leah opens her mouth to say something –and stops short. She smells blood. A lot of it, and close by.

"Ky, get in the car," she says, slamming the trunk.

"Where are you going?" Malachi asks, pausing with his hand on the door handle.

"I need to check something. Get in the car, I won't be a minute," Leah assures him, walking towards the edge of the parking lot where the shadows already stretch long. Plugging up her nose, she cautiously turns the corner.

Someone has gotten a hold of the brash hunter from this morning and chewed him up pretty well. His breath rattles in his chest as he leans against the building in a puddle of blood, unconscious and still.

It takes a second for Leah to move. Hesitantly, she listens for a pulse –it's weak, but it's there –and then she acts. "Sir?" she says, tapping him on the shoulder. Where is he injured besides his neck? "Hey," she says, a little louder. "Can you hear me?" A groan is all she gets in return.

The kids are in the car. He's badly hurt. Would it be better just to let nature take its course? He might wake up and crawl away. Or he might not.

_I can't just leave him here._

She reaches down and carefully pulls him up. He groans again, and his eyes flutter. "I'm taking you to the hospital," she says. "Please don't try to stake me or something."

Taking a chance, she blurs across the parking lot. "Hop in the back, Ky," she says.

Ky gets out and helps him get in the passenger side. "Who is that? What happened, Mom?"

Leah gets in the front seat and starts the motor. "He's a hunter. I don't know, we're taking him to the hospital." It's only four blocks away; he can make it.

"Uh, so why are we helping him?"

"Because he needs help."

"Didn't you run into a hunter today?"

"Yep." She presses the gas and goes through a yellow light.

"Is that him?"

"Yes."

"So why are we helping him?" Malachi demands.

She bites her lip and sighs. "We don't return wrongs, Ky."

* * *

Leah waits with her phone to her ear, looking through the window of the hospital room at the man in the bed. Grace and Malachi sit on chairs down the hall. Ky's working on his project, and Grace is "helping."

Finally, the call connects. "Hello, Leah," Elijah says, somewhat surprised.

"Hi," she says tiredly. "I can't help thinking you might not be very happy with me."

"Why would you think that?" he asks curiously.

"Because I drove a wounded hunter to the hospital," she murmurs. "Same one from earlier today."

"Really?"

"Well, I couldn't leave him to bleed out in a parking lot," she says, becoming a little defensive.

"I didn't say you should have. Why did you think I'd be unhappy with you?"

Leah leans against the cool wall. "I don't know," she admits. "It doesn't seem like something a vampire would do."

"It certainly sounds like something you would do," Elijah says.

Oh. It does, doesn't it? "So you're not mad, "Leah checks.

"No. And even if I was, I don't think that's a compelling enough reason to keep you from doing what you think is right."

Leah smiles. "Good, because I don't regret it."

"What do you plan to do now, my pretty saint?" Elijah asks.

"I'm going to stick around for a while to make sure he's okay," she says. "Dr. Fell said she'd make sure trouble doesn't come looking for him –and that he won't cause trouble, either."

"That's a good plan," he says. "Do you need me for anything?"

"I don't think so, but if I do, I'll call."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Elijah."

She hangs up the phone and waits around for an hour until Dr. Fell declares him definitely stable. Then she takes the kids home and puts them to bed. In the morning, after Ky leaves for school, Leah calls the hospital. They inform her that the John Doe checked himself out early that morning, and when she double checks with Dr. Fell, she assures Leah that she has it on good authority that the man got to his vehicle and was last seen headed out of town.

Leah hangs up the phone and sits at the kitchen table for a long moment before nodding to herself.

"Gracie," she calls down the hall, "what do you want for breakfast?"


	7. Dancing

**Dancing**

"Is this such a good idea," Leah asks, as Bekah turns on her ipod and plugs it in.

"Of course it is," Kol says, holding out his hands in the absolutely huge Mikaelson ballroom. "Elijah and Klaus won't be back until eight tonight."

She sifts slightly, feeling odd in leggings and a sleeveless dress after a long winter of sweaters and jeans. "Come on Leah," Fay says, crossing her arms, "You said you wanted to learn how to dance for the wedding, didn't you?"

"Yes…"

"So what's the problem?" Fay says.

"You danced wonderfully at our ball," Kol says. "I remember. Now come on." He takes her hand. "Waltzing first, to start on familiar ground, and then we can go toward something fun like the Charleston."

"Great," Leah says faintly.

"Come on, Mom," Ky says from the corner where he and Grace are coloring, "you've got this!"

"Go Mommy!" Grace says, holding up a badly lettered sign, but Leah knows it's supposed to say something along those lines too. She takes a deep breath and takes Kol's hand.

For the next four hours, she trips and struggles for muscle memory and suffers in high heels, but the nice thing about being a vampire is, it's harder to get tired.

"Same time next week?" Kol asks as she disembarks with her family at suppertime.

Leah groans.

Fay grins. "We'll be here."


	8. Shape Up

**AN: thank you SO MUCH for all the alerts/favorites/reviews! It means so much to me! I'm sorry this is so short, but I am working on the next bit! It should be up soon, so hang in there! :D Thanks again!  
**

**Shape Up**

Building relationships is all well and good, and there is family feeling to consider, but boundaries are important, too, and she's going to put her foot down.

"Klaus, if you want to have any lasting relationship with my children, you're going to shape up."

While everyone else's jaw scrapes the floor –does no one else have the guts to speak up to a thousand year old vampire? –she takes advantage of the quiet and continues. "I don't suppose I can tell you what to do, and I doubt you'd listen to me if I did, but you listen to me when I talk about my children. They are human, and they have been through enough. And if you keep _killing people,_ I do not want them in your company. Do you understand?"

Klaus looks like he's searching for words, but Leah says, "If you'd like to contend with me on this, first ask yourself what you would say if Ky asked you why you killed Mrs. Lockwood, and then maybe ask yourself if that reason is good enough."

If she lets herself, she will fly off the handle at this great stupid immortal hybrid, so she stalks away, point made.

Elijah is again reminded just how much he loves Leah. He watches her go and almost feels like cheering.


	9. Homes

**Homes**

(not long after they've gotten engaged)

"Where are we going to live?" Leah asks suddenly after dinner one night. She's at the sink washing dishes, and Elijah's got his sleeves rolled up and has drying duty. The diamond on her ring finger sparkles, even in the suds.

"What do you mean?" Elijah asks, giving the Pyrex pan a thorough rub.

Leah bites the inside of her lip. "You know. After we're married." He fits in seamlessly in their little miracle house, but it's certainly not as grandiose as he's used to. And it _is_ rather small. She picks up the cookie sheet and scrubs.

"Where do you want to live?" He plucks already-scrubbed glasses from the sink with his long fingers and rinses them.

She blinks, unaccustomed to such a choice. She licks her lips. "As much as I love your family, I would rather not live with them."

His eyes sparkle as he laughs, leaning over to give her a peck on the cheek. "Me, too."

She sags against him with relief. "Oh, good."

"A thousand years is long enough to stay with family, I think," he says, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Ha ha." She smiles. "So where, then?"

"Do you want to leave this house?" he asks curiously.

"I…" she trails off. "Well, it's not 'the Mikaelson mansion'." She makes air quote with soapy fingers.

"You're worried about me?" he asks, surprised. "Leah, I do not care." He wraps his arms around her waist.

"No fair," she complains. "Soapy hands."

He laughs. "This is your children's safe haven. I know that. And I'm glad for it." He's silent for a moment as she washes the soap from her hands and dries them so that she can hug him back. As she rests in his arms, he says, "What if we built a house?"

"Huh?" Leah looks up at him, taken aback.

"A house. For us. This new family we're starting."

"How… would that work? For …us?" Leah asks delicately, thinking of the housing problem vampires have.

"How did you buy this house?" Elijah asks.

"It's in Ky's name," Leah says. "I think we put Grace on the paperwork, too, but Ky signed them."

"We could do that," Elijah says. "And still keep this house. And then Ky and Grace would both have a house in their name, and some financial security."

"Oh," Leah whispers, seeing that future. "Oh." Then she started and looked up at him. "Right _now_, build a house?"

"No," he laughs. "We can wait until after the wedding to think about it, if you want."

"Yes," she says fervently. She's got enough to think about right now. "After, we plan and build."

"And until then I'll just move in with you here," he says, smiling.

For some reason, that strikes her heart and makes her feel gooey inside. "Okay," she says simply, smiling.

"It's a deal." He leans down and seals it with a kiss.


	10. Jitters

**AN: I'M TRASH I KNOW THAT I'M SO SORRY! here's a tiny update while I get all the wedding junk in order. Bug me, please! I will write faster! :)**

**Jitters**

The church is booked, the reception is planned, the cake is ordered, the decorations have been selected, the napkins chosen –_napkins, _for heaven's sake –they've bought the dress, picked out the bridal party's colors and dresses, and she's gone to her fittings and so have Caroline, Rebekah, Grace, and Fay. The flowers are selected and ready, the bouquets and boutonnieres to be made, the rings bought, the invitations sent, the caterers given their advance, and she honestly can't think of a single thing she's forgotten.

"Please tell me that's it," Leah begs Caroline.

Caroline pulls the now quite battered three-foot list from her purse and looks it over, eyeballing what isn't checked off or crossed out. "Bonnie's going to help with hair and makeup," she double checks.

"Yes," Leah says, nodding.

"The caterers know to keep any and all sweets out of Grace's reach until the reception."

"Mmmhmm."

"Someone found the gifts for the bridal party?"

"Ky found them; they were under a stack of orders in my workroom." Leah had decided to make all the girls a necklace and earring set in her wedding colors –blue and yellow. The men would get matching cuff links.

"Stefan and Damon promised to help usher?"

"Umm… I think so?" Leah replies quizzically.

Caroline looks over the top of the list at Leah and raises an eyebrow.

"Elijah and I split up the list; I was starting to panic," Leah mutters.

Caroline stuffs it back into her purse with a snap. "Don't worry," she says, linking her arm through Leah's. "Three more days."

"Way to give me heart palpitations," Leah sighs.

Caroline grins at her. "We don't _get_ heart palpitations. It'll be fine."

"I know," Leah says, smirking. "I am so glad you're my maid of honor."

"I'm happy to do it." Caroline squeezes her hand and smiles.


	11. Bachelorette Party

**"The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for."**

** — Fyodor Dostoyevsky; _The Brothers Karamazov_**

* * *

Fay insists that she needs a Bachelorette party.

Leah thinks that's rubbish, but Caroline latches onto the idea immediately, and when her maid of honor and sister/photographer both back the idea, they're pretty formidable. Leah finally gives in, with certain stipulations.

Not an enormous abundance of alcohol, and no raunchiness. Because while Leah has never actually been to or had a bachelorette party before, she remembers movies from high school and giggles among friends, and she promised herself long ago that she was done with that kind of thing. Plus keeping with her theme of distancing herself from what was, and starting over fresh and new. Not that she thinks any of the girls would pull something like that, but it's good to have all bases covered.

Caroline has commandeered a whole section of the Grille for the evening, and the girls have it all to themselves. Matt points Leah and Fay towards the tables. Leah met Matt through Caroline, and he has babysat Grace and Malachi on the few occasions Caroline wasn't available. "Congrats," he says. "See you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Matt," Leah says.

Fay links arms with her and tugs her towards the group of girls already there. "The party can start now, we're here!" she says loudly.

Leah laughs as Caroline hands her a tiara. "The bride to be deserves to be a queen tonight," Caroline declares. "Though I'm sure Elijah could get you a real one if you wanted."

Leah blushes. He probably could get her several.

One of their pre-wedding conversations was about money and resources and property, and she had seen the figures on his bank account. She has no idea what to do with that kind of money, and has thanked the Lord over and over that her fiancé is not extravagant. She made it clear that she didn't want her children spoiled by the knowledge or the products of that money, and he agreed. There would be stability and resources for them, but it wouldn't turn into a crutch.

Elena and Bonnie sit at one end of the table, and Rebekah at the other. Leah made it clear to Caroline that she wanted all the girls to be there and that she wanted a tension-free night. Caroline must have passed the message on, because while there certainly isn't a happy-go-lucky feeling emanating from the girls, there are certainly no glares being thrown. She's grateful.

Caroline sits down between Rebekah and Bonnie, and Fay and Leah sit down across from them.

"Here, apparently you're supposed to wear this," Rebekah says, handing Leah a pink sash emblazoned with "Bride To Be."

"Really?" Leah says, putting it on. "Anything else?"

"Well, there was this bib thing that says 'feed me booze' but we decided against that," Caroline says, giggling.

"Thank you," Leah says, laughing in spite of herself.

"But you do have to have at least two drinks," Fay says. "I insisted," she tells the rest of the girls. "My sister the vampire has never gotten anywhere near tipsy."

"Yes, please, proclaim it to the entire population," Elena says, shooting wary looks at neighboring tables.  
"I'm sure the population already knows," Rebekah drawls. "Mystic Falls is not known for keeping secrets well."

"Actually, your sister the _human_ did, and it contributed to a great deal of bad decisions," Leah says, heading off that train of thought before it can get far. "So I don't like alcohol."

"Hey, you said drunk people were fun," Fay says, elbowing her.

Leah holds up a finger of contention. "I said they were fun to _watch_."

They all laugh, and Matt comes around with drinks.


	12. Stag Night

**Love is not love**  
**Which alters when it alteration finds,**  
**Or bends with the remover to remove:**  
**O no; it is an _ever-fixed mark,_**  
**That looks on tempests, and is never shaken**

**Shakespeare sonnet 116**

Klaus wanted to throw something of a bash for his brother, but Elijah politely declined. He has spent a thousand years single; he doesn't want to celebrate or commemorate his last evening of the state. He has, instead, brought Malachi and Grace over to the Mikaelson house to play board games with Klaus, Kol, and himself. A kind of family stag night with the addition of Grace.

They started out playing Junior Monopoly (Elijah and Grace were on a team together) but then Grace decided she wanted to play Tea Party, and Kol got the bright idea to introduce their new nephew to the game of poker. So now Kol is snickering into his cards as he and Elijah teach Malachi and watch Grace and Klaus pretend with her plastic tea set.

Even though he's close to bursting with laughter himself, Elijah subtly kicks Kol in the shin. Not only is this one of the more entertaining things he's ever seen, it's also one of the more precious. It wouldn't do for Niklaus to suddenly become full of himself and abandon the game. Somehow Grace has wrangled Nik into a floppy hat with a big net bow, and she is teetering around in dress-up heels.

"You look absolutely lovely, Nik," Kol says smirking widely.

"I always do," Klaus says with a smug smile over the cards in his hand.

Grace has the same effect on him as she does on Elijah –they are both enchanted. He isn't sure what motivated Grace to single out Klaus as her other playmate out of her four choices, but he's thoroughly enjoying it.

Kol pushes his luck. "You know, I think you should dress like that all the time."

"I will when you play poker," Klaus replies. "I'm doing Elijah and Malachi a great favor by distracting you." He smiles widely as Kol looks down at the pot and frowns deeply.

"Tea?" Grace asks, holding the teapot up.

"Yes, please," Klaus says, and holds out his pink cup to receive the imaginary beverage. "You know, Grace, I think Kol would like some, too."

" 'Kay," she says, carrying the teapot and another cup over to Kol's chair. "Tea?"

"Thank you, Gracie," Kol says, delicately accepting the plastic cup. He pretends to sip. "Mmmm. Delicious."

Grace smiles angelically and hands him the white sparkly boa she was holding behind her back.

It's now Klaus's turn to snicker obnoxiously.

* * *

By the time Ky has caught the hang of the rules and they've played several hands of poker, Grace is fast fading against Elijah's shoulder, and Malachi and Klaus have the biggest piles of pennies in front of them.

"What do you think?" Elijah asks, holding his cards for Grace to see.

She frowns and yawns.

"That's what I thought, too," he says, throwing his cards down. "I fold."

Klaus smirks. "Kol?"

Kol takes a pull at his beer and scowls down at his hand. "Don't rush me."

Elijah chuckles. Grace wriggles out of his lap and lists over to Kol in order to pat him gently on the arm.

"Well, Miss Grace, you seem to be the authority –what do you think?" Kol asks, showing her his cards.

"Up," she says, holding her arms up.

"Hmm? Oh." He lifts her up onto his lap.

"Nope," she tells him frankly, yawning again.

"I yield to the judgment of the lady." Kol throws down his cards as well and wraps his arms around Grace. "This lady looks to be sleepy."

"Nuh uh," Grace protests around another yawn.

"Yeah huh," Ky puts in dryly. "Your move, Klaus."

Malachi hasn't used any familial names for them yet, and Elijah has told him that it's perfectly fine –he can call him or any of his family whatever he likes –he understands the stigma attached to the word 'father', after all. But Grace has begun to call him 'Daddy' intermittently, and the other day she asked if she could get a piggyback ride from 'Uncle Kol.'

Every time Elijah hears her, he lights up inside for the joy and privilege of the title.

And he thinks that her easy acceptance of the new people about to enter her life went a long way to softening the blowback from his family (read: Klaus). It definitely made them realize that Elijah wasn't _leaving_ them; rather, he was choosing to add to their family.

It made all the difference in the world.


	13. Getting Ready

**"Turn back, my soul, to your rest**  
**for the Lord has been good;**  
**he has kept my soul from death,**  
**my eyes from tears**  
**and my feet from stumbling.**

**I will walk in the presence of the Lord**  
**in the land of the living."**

**— From Psalm 116**

"Almost show time," Kol announces, sliding into the room where the last ties are being knotted and cuff links fastened. "Malachi, spread the word."

Ky hops up from his chair. "Come on, Grace." Grace stands up and bounces excitedly. She had wanted to get ready with the guys.

Kol claps Elijah on the shoulder. "Time to get out there with the Minister."

"Have I mentioned that I think it's criminal that you get to see Leah before I do?" Elijah asks, smoothing his tuxedo coat.

"Only about a hundred times," Klaus says with an obnoxious smile. "What's twenty minutes when you've waited this long already?"

"An eternity," Elijah sighs.

Kol places a hand to his forehead. "Oh woe is me! Go on," he says, and Ky and Grace laugh on their way out as Kol steers Elijah towards the door. "We don't want Leah thinking you've gotten cold feet."

Elijah balks. "When have I ever gotten cold feet on anything?"

"Okay, granted," Kol says. "Do you want me to text you when we see Leah?"

"No!" Elijah says emphatically.

"Wise," Klaus says. "Very wise. Now come off it, Kol, and tie your bow tie. We've got a wedding to get to."

* * *

"Faaaay," Leah calls, slightly desperately, "can you zip me up?"

"Obviously," Fay says, "hang on." The camera flash goes off again, capturing whatever shenanigans Bekah and Caroline have gotten up to.

Safely behind the Venetian screen, Leah rolls her eyes. Appointing Fay as the wedding photographer may have made the power go to her head.

Already dressed in her pink maid of honor dress, Caroline offers, "I'll do it," scooting behind the screen to guide the ridiculously tiny zipper up the side of the wedding dress. It was a simple white sheath with detailed beading near the neckline. "Veil time!" she crows, pulling Leah out and in front of the mirror. "Oh, Leah, look at you."

Leah bites her lip and blinks. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a highly impractical style that somehow managed to stay up in spite of it, and dotted with tiny pink roses. The dress flows down her body and out behind her into a small train.

_Pop_ goes the camera flash. "Beautiful, as always," Fay says, rocking her yellow strapless dress and matching heels.

"Twenty minutes," Rebekah reminds them all, coming up with the lace veil and securing it to Leah's head. It's lacy and elbow length with a blusher. Fay takes another picture.

Leah can't take credit for any of this. She has had the best friends to take her shopping and help her with her choices. "Thank you —all of you," she whispers, as her eyes fill.

"Don't cry or you'll smudge your makeup," Caroline commands, and they all laugh.

Someone knocks at the door, and Bekah opens it to reveal Ky, looking very dapper in his tuxedo, and Grace in her pink flower girl dress.

"They want everybody to line up," Ky says. "You look great, Mom."

Leah opens her arms and gives him a hug. "Thank you, baby."

"Today is a good day," Fay says, snapping the picture. "A good day for new beginnings."

As Leah slips into her heels and accepts the bouquet of yellow sunflowers and pink roses from Caroline, she can't help but think she's right.


	14. The Wedding

Leah knows that there is a video running throughout the whole ceremony, and Fay is relentlessly taking pictures every other minute from the second the music started all the way into the cake cutting of the reception, and she will be able to notice other details later.

But what she is focused on now —the only thing she sees right now —is the look on Elijah's face as she and Ky step into the aisle as the processional begins. She barely notices people standing, and thank goodness she has a hold on Ky's arm or she might start flying up the aisle because he's staring at her with such awe, like he's never seen her fully until now, but he still knows the depths of her heart. Her face can barely contain her smile, and she hopes Fay is getting this —this is what she wants to remember for all the years to come.

Until they say "I do" and exchange rings, the only thing she can hear over the pounding of her heart is the Minister's voice, reading the scripture they chose for their wedding: _"I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten."_

And as the Minister proclaims, "you may kiss the bride," she finally believes it's true.

* * *

A fork dings on crystal, and everyone turns to face Fay, who's giving the speech and the toast at the reception. Leah squeezes Elijah's hand and smiles as her ring catches the light -diamonds and pearls all set together. She hasn't let him go since the ceremony.

"Hey everybody," Fay smirks. "This is the part of the wedding where I say some really great stuff." She shrugs. "But I'm not a public speaker, so there you go. Sorry in advance."

She pulls a crumpled sheet of paper out of her camera bag and coughs. "You know, Leah said something to me once, when Ky was really young and she was just starting classes for her degree. I had asked her why she wasn't more excited about it, and she said, 'I wanted too much at the wrong time, and my life broke apart in my hands. So I don't let myself want too much anymore.'"

Leah bites her lip as she recalls that day. It had been probably ten years ago, but she could still see her little sister's face.

"And she was in a not great place then, and it didn't get better, so I understand how she thought that." Fay swallowed. "I was only like ten, but I never forgot that. And I think she was so afraid of wrecking her life again that not only did she not let herself want too much, but she didn't let herself hope too much. And that's not good either. Hope is a _good _thing."

Tears spill down Leah's face, and she sniffs while wiping them away.

Fay smiles brilliantly. "And when Leah met Elijah, she saw something in him that allowed her to hope, to spring back and become the woman that loves life and loves people again. And that's why I thank God for you, Elijah," she says, nodding to her brother in law. "You bring out the very best in each other, and everyone can see it. I'm really glad to have you in our family." She picks up her champagne flute. "So here's to you both -keep bringing out the best for each other, supporting others, and seeking hope. To Elijah and Leah!"

Everyone lifts their glass, and Elijah hugs her tight.


	15. Honeymoon

**An: Hey guys! I know it's been an age and a half. Thank you for your patience and for your commitment to this story! :)**

* * *

**Part Next**

**"They wanted to speak, but could not; tears stood in their eyes. They were both pale and thin; but those sick pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full resurrection into a new life. They were renewed by love; the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other."**

**— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment**

Fay accepts the gorgeous dress from her and zips it back into its bag as she pulls on clothes to wear on the plane. "You know all the bedtimes and everything, right?" Leah calls through the door.

"Yeah, Leah, you wrote it down for me," Fay assures her, still in her maid of honor dress. "I've got it."

"Right… and Ky's going over to his friend's house Wednesday night –"

"You wrote that down, too." Fay smirks at her when she comes out in a V-neck t-shirt and high waist short-shorts.

"What?" Leah says, a tad defensive. "I felt like I should start working on a tan."

"Many places to tan in London?"

"That's only the first couple days," Leah says, running a hand through her hair. "He hasn't told me where we're going after."

Fay waggles her eyebrows. "Have fun showing off those pasty white legs."

"Why do you think I'm wearing these shorts," Leah mumbles.

Fay laughs and loops her arm through her sister's, tugging her through the door. "I've got everything under control, and if anything happens, I've got all the new in-laws on speed dial. Your bags are in the car. Go kiss the kids and have a marvelous week and a half with your new husband."

"You are a saint," Leah says, hugging her.

"Hardly," Fay drawls. "I just love you a lot."

They come out giggling. Ky and Grace are waiting on the porch, like she said, and she gives them both a huge hug. "You be good for your Aunt Fay, okay?"

"Yes, Mom," Ky says. "Have a good time."

"Love you, Mommy," Grace sing-songs into her ear. She kisses her cheek, and Leah beams.

The car pulls into the drive and Kol waves at her from the driver's seat. "He's gonna be your chauffeur," Fay says with a laugh.

" 'Lijah!" Grace exclaims happily as he comes out behind Leah. She looks her new husband over with a smile. He's changed out of his tux, but he's still wearing a suit. That's just who he is, and she can't deny that she likes it.

He swings Grace up in his arms and kisses her. "I'll see you in a week or two, little miss," he promises. "I love you."

"Love you too," she giggles.

He sets her down gently and then hugs Ky wordlessly. Malachi hugs him back hard, and whispers, quiet enough that only he and Leah can hear, "Love you, Dad."

She is so in love with this man, and knowing that her children love him too is the best gift she could have gotten.

Ky finally lets go of Elijah and shoves his hands in his pockets. Elijah turns to her… and she is so gratified when he has to do a double take.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wear shorts before," he murmurs before kissing her.

"Well, I wasn't a married woman then," she says coyly, licking her lips.

"Minx." He kisses her again, very slowly.

"Well, well, look at the time," Fay says loudly. She's probably rolling her eyes. "Better get going if you want to catch that plane."

He pulls away from her, and she laughs at his disgruntled face. "I don't think I calculated our timetables correctly."

"I did," she says smugly, and whispers in his ear, "That's why I'm wearing shorts."

The look she gets in return is pure gold.

* * *

It's her first time on an airplane and they're flying first class. She can't believe it.

Leah hangs onto Elijah's arm as the plane takes off, feeling like she's on some kind of ride at an amusement park. He smiles at her delight, and she beams at him uncontrollably. "We're flying!" she whispers to him, staring out the window at the houses and cars shrinking rapidly away.

"Flight is an amazing thing," he says. "And we've only had it for a century. It's still somewhat a marvel."

"It's incredible what some people take for granted," she says as they merge through the cloud layer. The sun is gorgeous, but she knows it will be gone soon –they're flying away from the sunset.

They had discussed the late flight during the wedding preparations, right after deciding where they'd actually spend their honeymoon. "You know, we'll be flying into London at 8 AM their time, but it will feel like 3 AM to us," Elijah pointed out to her. "That's going to give you some jet lag."

"Yeah, but really, does that matter much?" she asked, turning towards him on the couch from where she was sorting wedding invitations. "I mean, honestly, are we planning on leaving your flat much in the first few days to actually go places and do things?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

He leaned in close to her, desire in his eyes. "No," he whispered against her lips before capturing them in a warm kiss. A thrill had run through her, and she had kissed him back eagerly.

She hadn't minded then, but now she's three hours into the flight and she's getting tired. Also, she feels slightly buzzed. It seemed like everyone they know toasted them at the wedding. She snuggles into his shoulder and inhales the smell that is Elijah, stretching out her bare legs and wiggling her toes.

"Tell me about flying," she mumbles. The light has finally disappeared from the sky, and she can no longer look out the window.

"Why flying?" he asks, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She is loving this first class treatment. "I don't know anything about it," she says, shrugging.

"How about I tell you something you don't know, and you tell me something I don't know?" Elijah offers, a smirk on his face.

"You realize I have significantly fewer years to pull from than you," Leah says, making a face at him.

"Mmhmm," he says, kissing away the expression on her face. "I'm looking forward to your creative excellence."

"You first," she insists, poking him. "I need time to think of something."

"Flight," he says, sighing and settling into his topic. "Flight has fascinated the human race ever since Icarus, probably."

"I was never sure if that was meant to be a cautionary tale or not," she murmurs, thinking of the boy who flew too close to the sun.

"Depends on who you ask. But it has remained in human brains, for good or ill. Leonardo da Vinci made plans for a flying machine, you know."

"Really?"

"Yes." He runs his hand through her hair, and his touch sets her nerves humming. "He never built any of his designs, though. Hot air balloons and gliders were invented –they used hot air balloons during your civil war."

"I knew that," Leah says.

"Did you?"

"Mmhmm, Jules Verne used hot air balloons in one of his books." She props her chin up on his chest, thinking. "I can't think which one. But it was during the war."

"Ballooning was all the rage in Europe for a while," Elijah says. "Some also began to develop what you'd call a dirigible or airship."

"Sounds like something out of a steampunk novel."

"Nearly," he admits. "They were very short lived and somewhat unstable. Their development was overshadowed by heavier-than-air craft."

"Airplanes," Leah says. "Definitely heavier than air. So that's where the Wright brothers come in?"

"Not quite yet," Elijah says. "Blimps came before the Wright brothers. And several other men were developing the idea –I believe the Wright brothers became famous for the first sustained, controlled, powered heavier-than-air manned flight."

"Say that five times fast," Leah mutters.

He chuckles, and she can feel the vibrations through his chest. "As I was not present for that portion of history, I have no firsthand knowledge to give you, sadly."

"That's all right," Leah says. "That was more than I knew to begin with."

"Your turn." He kisses her nose.

She wrinkles it. "Ugh, I need to think of something." She buries her head in his chest, and feels his laughter again.

"Come on. Something I don't know."

But what does Elijah not know? The man's a thousand years old. And it can't just be some random fact; she wants to surprise him…

It comes to her suddenly, and she giggles.

"What?" he says, curious.

"Okay," she says, still giggling. "I…" She snorts. It's too silly. But, she figures he's going to find out anyway. "I have… a tattoo."

Elijah says, "What?" in an astonished and rather fascinated tone of voice.

Leah sticks her tongue between her teeth as she keeps laughing. "It was during my rebellious phase," she murmurs. "Well. Towards the end. To remind myself about …everything."

"What is it?" he asks, eyes alight.

"Guess," she says smugly.

"Birds."

"Nope."

"Flowers."

"Nuh uh."

"A heart."

She slaps his arm. "Please, I did have a little class."

"All right… _where_ is it?"

She smirks, feeling a little too pleased. "You'll just have to find out," she purrs.

"I will," he states, smiling a little.

She hopes that's a promise.

* * *

Leah yawns and stretches, still feeling sleepy in the afternoon sunlight that pours in through the window in Elijah's —well, now _their_ —flat. She snuggles closer to Elijah and sighs.

"So what does it say?" he mumbles in her ear, voice a little lower after sleep.

She smiles lazily. "Hmm?"

He taps her right hip. "Your tattoo."

She giggles. After Ky was born, she got a tattoo in the Elvish script Tengwar on the edge of her hip, right by her new stretch marks from Ky's arrival. "It says, 'For even the very wise cannot see all ends'. From _Lord of the Rings_."

"I gathered that much," he says with a smile.

Leah raises an eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you, the polyglot, don't speak Elvish?"

He kisses her ear. "I'll learn. Say 'polyglot' again."

"Polyglot." He tugs on her bottom lip, and she giggles. "My husband is a polygot," she whispers, "and it's hot."

Elijah mumbles something that might be Italian before he kisses her again. She doesn't get a chance to ask him what it means until a few hours later.


	16. The Aftermath

**The Aftermath**

Fay loves being an aunt. Honestly. She loves it.

She loves it because Ky and Grace are super cute. They're the best niece and nephew ever. They're so precious and adorable and….

And when they cease being precious and adorable, she can always hand them back to Leah.

Except she's the temporary authority figure for a few days.

Riiiiiiiiight.

"Okay, bedtime!" she hollers for the third time down the hallway.

All she hears are giggles. "Grace Michelle, you better be putting your pj's on," Fay threatens.

"Aww, c'mon, Fay," Malachi complains, poking his head out of his sister's room. "We're making a welcome home card for Mom and Elijah."

Fay presses her fingers to her temples. "You can finish it tomorrow."

Ky protests "But the paint will dry out—"

"Paint?" Fay responds incredulously.

They're both saved by the press of the doorbell. Pulling her curls, Fay walks to the door and opens it.

"Hello," Rebekah says, holding out a tub of ice cream.

"That much trouble yet?" Kol says behind her, hiding a cheeky grin.

"Don't _you_ start," Fay snarls, but quietly.

Kol stops hiding the grin. "Are the precious angels wrecking havoc already?"

Rebekah steps in the door. "We brought fortifications and moral support."

"And snark," Fay adds as Kol follows.

"He followed me from home," Rebekah says, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, like a puppy?" Fay shuts the door.

"I resent that. Would you like to be in the room with Caroline and Klaus making gooey eyes at each other?" Kol demands.

They all collectively wince.

"I'm in pajamas!" Grace announced, stepping into the living room. Then she sees the visitors. "Auntie Beksah! Kol!" She bounds towards them, and Rebekah scoops her up with one arm. And then the other shoe drops. "Ice cream!" Grace squeals.

"Ice cream?" Ky repeats, walking into the living room.

Fay throws her hands in the air. "Okay," she sighs. "I give up. Bring your card out here, Ky, and we'll all forsake the rules for one night."

"That was easy," Kol mutters to his sister.

"I heard that, boyo."

* * *

They finally pack Grace off to bed at ten o'clock, after she winds down from her sugar high. Malachi trails off at eleven, carefully carrying the drying welcome home card, which is less card and more jumbo size poster board.

The two Mikaelsons and Fay remain in the living room, spooning the last melted bits out of the ice cream cartons and chatting about nothing.

"But you could! You literally could!" Fay insists. "Time is not an obstacle! You could go to any college, learn _any freaking thing, _and become an expert! That would be _so cool_!"

"Yes, most places love to hire girls that look nineteen, and stay eighteen forever," Bekah drawls.

"Modeling agencies," Kol points out.

"Under the radar," she grinds out, elbowing her brother in the chest. "If our faces are out there, no matter what we change our names to later, we'll be remembered. That's _bad_."

"Plus, in the thousand years previous, Father would have found us," Kol mumbles.

"But _you_ would know. How to do all this cool stuff," Fay says, shaking her spoon at him emphatically. "Wouldn't that be enough?"

The Mikaelson siblings look at each other in confusion.

Fay drops the spoon in the carton and sets it on the floor. "Wasn't it frickin' _boring_ to do nothing for a thousand years?"

"Well, I wouldn't say we did _nothing_," Kol says with a devious smile.

"Ugh. Stop," both girls insist at once.

Kol shrugs and cracks his knuckles, leaning back into the couch cushions.

"I mean, if I were immortal, I would be all over that," Fay says. "Just take whatever the heck classes in college I wanted. And, like, go places. Do things."

"Like what?" Rebekah asks.

"I dunno," Fay mumbles, rubbing her eyes. "Things."

"The human is sleepy," Kol stage whispers to Bekah.

"Call me human one more time, boyo."

Bekah sighs. "We'd better go. Hopefully home is…."

"Quiet," Kol supplies.

"Mmm," she agrees, standing. "Thanks for letting us crash, Fay."

"No problem," Fay says, waving away the thanks. "You brought the ice cream."

Kol smiles. "We should do this again."

Fay tosses her brown curls over her shoulder. His boyish dimples frustrate her.

"What, pig out on ice cream and watch Malachi and Grace color?"

"Sure."

Bekah rolls her eyes and drags Kol out the door. "Good night, Fay."

But somehow, Kol's words prove true. Almost every night that week, Rebekah and Kol show up at varying hours in the evening, toting ice cream or cookies or a pizza, and the aunts and uncle spend time with the niece and nephew.

And if Kol spends half his time watching Fay rather than the puzzle or tea party or whatever activity is going on that particular night, everyone pretends not to notice.


	17. Homecoming

**AN: it's been ages, hasn't it? I'm sorry! But finally I have some free time. After this bit we're going to time jump a few times, and things will get angstier, so hang on. Things get worse before they get better. But have no fear! :) I know how it's going to end up. Enjoy!**

After a week in London and Hawaii, Leah and Elijah return somewhat tanner to Mystic Falls. Fay and the kids meet them at the airport.

Leah sweeps Grace up in a hug and receives a happy smack of lips on her cheek. "We missed you!" she exclaims. "Were you good for Fay?"

"The Best," Grace assures her, and they all laugh.

"I told her to say that," Fay says with a smirk.

"Did you have fun?" Ky asks, as Elijah gives him a hug.

"We had a great time," Leah says sunnily, shooting Elijah a grin over the kids' heads.

"The eight hour layover in L.A. was not ideal, but everything else was wonderful," Elijah says. "We even got to catch up with an old friend of mine." They head toward the baggage claim, and Grace latches onto Elijah's hand.

He smiles down at her, and she grins and whispers, "Hi, Daddy."

He figures this is as close to heaven as it gets.

* * *

"—And don't worry, the boys were as good as gold," Fay informs them very seriously on the drive home. "Well, as good as brass, anyway." The 'boys' were the Mikaelson boys. "I let them know who was in charge." She grins.

"I bet they loved that," Leah says dryly.

"Oh, they did, especially Kol," Fay says, laughing. "And don't worry, I've got it all fixed with Caroline. I'm going to rent from her mom."

"Fay —"

"Oh, I know, you'd be happy to have me," she says breezily. "I know, but you don't need me underfoot when you're trying to be newlyweds with kids, too."

"Well, if you're sure," Leah says doubtfully.

"I am. Now, if you want me to live with you one you get the house built, that's another story," she says cheekily.

Elijah laughs. "We will be sure to, if you aren't settled by then."

"I knew I liked you," Fay says, satisfied.

The conversation drifts to other topics, but a tiny frown line remains in between Leah's eyebrows. When they get home and Elijah and Ky get the bags, Leah murmurs to Fay, "Are you and Kol…."

Fay stares at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Are you kidding?" she says merrily. "No, of course not!"

Leah relaxed a bit. "Oh. Well…."

"Puh-lease. He's so much older than me," Fay says. "So weird. No."

Leah smiles. "Well, Elijah is far older than I am, and —"

"But that's different, Leah," Fay insists. "You know that."

"I do. I just wanted to make sure you do, too. You've been awfully…."

"Flirty, Car says." Fay shrugs, flipping her hair. "I just do it to antagonize him. For someone a thousand years old, he's ease to wind up."

Leah follows her in and hopes that's all there is to it.


	18. Fast Forward Three Years

**AN: OKAY. :) Time jump three years. Grace is now 8, and Malachi is 15. They've moved out of the little house (though they still own it) and into a new, bigger house in the kids' names that they built. They've been doing family life, and it's fab. This is the calm before the drama, so buckle in.**

* * *

Leah is having a hard time processing Karen Mulcahey's voice on the phone.

"Leah, I know Grace wants Kara to spend the night, but… if it's all right with you, maybe Grace could spend the night over here." The woman hurries on, afraid she had offended. "I know everything would be… fine, but I'd just feel more comfortable if Grace came over here after school."

"No, that's not a problem," Leah says quietly. "What time do you want me to pick her up on Saturday?"

"Oh, whenever you like, it's not trouble to have her," Karen assured her.

"…All right. Karen? Have… have we done anything to —"

"Oh, no, Leah!" Karen says, shocked. "I know you're a wonderful mother, and …though I don't know Elijah, I know Grace loves him very much. It's just… the Mikaelsons are in and out of your house regularly, and, well… they've got a reputation, don't they?"

A reputation of being a bunch of emotionally explosive, violent vampires? Yes. "I see," Leah says, biting her lip and using all her resources to keep her tone normal. "Then I'll see you sometime Saturday, Karen."

"Oh, Leah, if I've —"

"Don't worry yourself, Karen," Leah says, attempting to reassure. "I do understand. Goodbye."

_And I do,_ she reflects as she ends the call. _That's the trouble. _

The mother in her wants to be dreadfully angry on behalf of Grace and her family, but she can see their point. If she was a human mother, would she be at all easy about sending her child off to play with another in a house full of vampires?

_There's that word again_, she reflects. _The one everyone knows and nobody says._

Ky wanders into the kitchen and grabs a soda from the fridge. Gaining an inkling, Leah says, "Ky, why don't you ever invite your friends over?"

Malachi pauses, his lips almost to the can. "Huh?"

"Friends. Over," Leah says slowly. "There's plenty of room." The new house is pretty vast; that's the way they designed it.

"Guys don't do sleepovers like girls, Mom," he mumbles.

"Is it more than that?"

He takes a good look at her face and winces.

"Honey, are people ostracizing you because of us?"

"What?" he says surprised. "No! Well, okay, a few, but those kids are stupid anyways. It's the parents. The kids don't know anything about…." he motions to the house, representing the family's elephant in the room. "Who blabbed?'

_That unsaid word again_, she thinks. "I got a call from Mrs. Mulcahey to ask if Grace could go to their house instead of Kara coming here to spend the night."

"Idiots," Ky mumbles into the soda can.

"Don't say that, Ky. I know how they feel. Who would trust their child to a vampire?"

"Anybody who knows you." Ky sets the soda down and gives her a hug. He's almost as tall as she is. "It's _okay_, Mom," he says. "We're not going to be scarred for life. And if they don't want to get to know us, that's their fault. When does Dad get home?"

Elijah teaches Latin at the community college three times a week. "He's got his late class today."

"Okay. So let's have ice cream for dinner."

Leah shoots him a disapproving look. "Malachi."

"Well, let's not but say we did so he'll be jealous."

"Don't be silly," Leah says, hugging him. "Go on, now."

It's not better or fixed, but it's on its way.


End file.
